This week is Earth Day, founded by Wisconsin's own Sen. Gaylord Nelson.

The worldwide theme for 2018 is End Plastic Pollution.

I try to remember that, especially as I accumulate plastic bags, plastic bottles, plastic utensils and other plastic waste.

According to the Earth Day website, "the growth of plastic is now threatening the survival of our planet — poisoning and injuring our marine life, disrupting human hormones, littering beaches and landscapes and clogging waste streams and landfills."

Lisa-Marie Wesenberg of Oshkosh, writing about "God's amazing creation" in relation to Earth Day, asks "What Have We Done?" In the April newsletter of Algoma Boulevard United Methodist Church she writes, in part, "... I've personally been on a mission for the past year to make changes in my life to combat the devastating effect our overuse of plastic has caused to the planet. None of these changes is difficult; they just take a bit of effort."

Sharing a few statistics, she writes: "300 million tons of plastic are sold every year and 90 percent of it is thrown away. Every year in New York alone, enough single-use plastic bags are used that they could stretch to the moon and back 13 times. Every year, in our country, more than 500 million single-use straws are thrown away. More than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in our oceans every year."

In the April 15 column, we mentioned the latest hearing-loop installations at two Oshkosh church sites. Early the next day, we received an email from hearing loop advocate Juliette P.M. Sterkens, who provided us with the loop update. She wrote to say that after the column was posted, she received comments from loop advocates as far away as Albuquerque and Seattle, who picked up the news on Google Alert.

The craft group from St. Jude Parish is selling gravestone floral saddles. They will have them available before and after the 9:30 a.m. Mass at the St. Vincent site. At the Sacred Heart site, on April 29, they will be selling them before and after the 7:30 and 11 a.m. Masses. People who previously purchased a floral saddle and want it refurbished should call 920-231-3527 for more information.

St. Mary Parish in Omro/Winneconne is sponsoring a mission trip to Joppa Mountain, Tennesse, the week of Aug. 19-25. Volunteers will experience five days of service, plus participate in daily prayer, Mass and faith building, while helping to strengthen the Catholic presence in this area of Tennessee. Currently, there are 15 people interested in the trip. As many as 24 may participate. If you are interested in more information, there will be an organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Omro. Questions? Contact Rodney Silvis at 920-279-8986 or mcsilvis@yahoo.com.

The Christian Action Committee of St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oshkosh is sponsoring a brunch April 29 to thank the congregation and local businesses and individuals for supporting Feeding the Children 2017 and to celebrate St. Andrew's 57th anniversary. The brunch will be from 10 a.m. to noon. There also will be a Giving Tree in the church hallway decorated with "ornaments" of suggested items needed to help feed the children this year.

Good Samaritan Food Pantry at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oshkosh gives out food once monthly (usually the third week of the month) to help church members as well as non-members have food if they are in need. Church members donate non-perishable food items for the pantry, which also receives food from donations to the Postal Carriers food drive, which is Saturday, May 12, in Oshkosh, and the Boy Scouts Food Drive in October in Oshkosh. Monetary donations for the pantry are used to buy the perishable items, some of which are purchased from Feeding America.

Ron Bruch, fish fry chairman at St. Raphael Parish in Oshkosh, reports in the church bulletin that 5,341 meals (dine-in or carry-out) were served during the Lenten season this year. Each week about 100 volunteers helped make the Friday night fish fry happen. This was the 19th year of the event.

All Saints Parish of Berlin will have a Spud Supper, open to the public, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday in the parish hall. Tickets will be available at the door. The church is on Highway 49 South.

The annual Tootsie Roll Church Drive to benefit intellectually challenged individuals will take place at Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29 at all Masses at Most Blessed Sacrament and St. Jude parishes. The drive is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 614 of Oshkosh. Questions? Call Dick Forseth, Grand Knight, at 920-218-9875 or email dickkofc@gmail.com.

According to Sister Pamela Biehl, pastoral leader at St. Mary parishes in Omro/Winneconne, Father Bill Hower, who has helped out at Catholic parishes throughout Oshkosh, Omro and Winneconne and has presided at the Oshkosh Irish Fest Mass, recently suffered a stroke and won't be available to help out for a few months. She asks that we keep Father Bill in our prayers. If you would like to send him a note or card, his home address is 2430 Springmill Road, Oshkosh, WI 54904.

Thought for the Day: "The question is not whether you can talk to the people you love after they die. The question is whether or not you stopped long enough to listen to them while they were alive." — Sister Joan Chittister, OSB

Judy Russell of Oshkosh writes about happenings at area centers of worship. To submit news for her consideration, email oshkoshsubmit@thenorthwestern.com with the subject “Church news.” Deadline is 5 p.m. Mondays.